Election Commission
azadi ka amrit mahotsav

ECI celebrates 16th National Voters’ Day


President graces the occasion as Chief Guest

Voting is not merely a political expression; it is a reflection of citizens' faith in the democratic process of elections: President

प्रविष्टि तिथि: 25 JAN 2026 8:01PM by PIB Delhi
  1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) celebrated the 16th National Voters’ Day (NVD-2026) in New Delhi today with the theme “My India, My Vote”- Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy.
  2. The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, graced the occasion in New Delhi as the Chief Guest. The Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, was present at the occasion as the Guest of Honour. The event was led by the Chief Election Commissioner, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.
  3. The Hon’ble President of India, handed over Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) to five newly enrolled young electors as a symbolic gesture to celebrate all the voters of the country, especially the young voters.
  4. The Hon’ble President also presented the Best Electoral Practices Awards in various categories with Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu winning awards for the effective use of technology; Odisha, Meghalaya and Bihar for the election management and logistics category; Bihar, Gujarat and Kerala for innovative voter awareness; Mizoram and Bihar for implementation and enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct; Bihar, UP and Jharkhand for training and capacity building; along with other special awards for Bihar and Delhi; while Dainik Jagran, NSD:Akashvani, News 18, Bihar-Jharkhand and the office of CEO Bihar won the awards in various categories of the Media awards.
  5. While addressing the gathering, Hon’ble President of India said that the strength of our democracy lies not only in the sheer size of voters but also in the depth of the democratic spirit. The Hon’ble President expressed confidence that all voters, free from temptation, ignorance, misinformation, propaganda, and prejudice, will strengthen our electoral system through the power of their conscience. The Hon’ble President added that voting is not merely a political expression. It is a reflection of citizens' faith in the democratic process of elections. (Link to the full address)
  6. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the NVD is an occasion to converse with the soul of India’s democracy. He also appreciated ECI’s efforts to make elections more accessible to all.
  7. Speaking on the occasion, CEC Shri Gyanesh Kumar said that India has not only been the birthplace of democracy, but is also the world’s largest and most transparent democracy. He added that India’s leadership of International IDEA reflects global trust in its electoral system and India also led the adoption of the Delhi Declaration 2026 at the recently concluded IICDEM-2026, the world’s largest democracy and election summit. He said that IIIDEM is emerging as a global training hub for election management. The ECINET technology platform is drawing global interest, he added. CEC Shri Gyanesh Kumar also asserted that pure voter list and active citizen participation remain the foundation of India’s strong, living democracy.
  1. Referring to the new voters who were handed over their EPICs by the Hon’ble President, Election Commissioner Dr. SS Sandhu said it is a matter of immense pride and serves as a powerful source of motivation for the entire electoral community. Dr. Vivek Joshi also expressed that the EPIC is not a card but a badge of responsibility and that the destiny of the largest democracy in the world resides in the voters.
  2. On the occasion of NVD-2026, two publications, “2025: A Year of Initiatives and Innovations” and “Chunav Ka Parv, Bihar Ka Garv”, a publication on the successful conduct of the General Elections in Bihar were released. A video reflecting ECI’s global leadership in electoral management and democratic development was also screened during the event.
  3. A dedicated exhibition showcasing various aspects of elections, including the preparation of Electoral Rolls and the Conduct of Elections, was also organized on the occasion. The exhibition highlighted recent initiatives undertaken by the ECI for the benefit of voters, as well as the successful conduct of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Elections, 2025.
  4. Simultaneous celebrations took place across the country at the State and District levels through the offices of the CEOs and DEOs respectively” Booth Level Officers (BLOs) also organised events at their respective polling station locations, felicitated newly registered voters and handed over EPICs to new electors.

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PK/GDH/RP


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